The present invention relates to a ski rack for securing skis and poles to the top of a vehicle such as an automobile or van.
The prior art is replete with various types of ski racks suitable for securing skis and poles to the roof top of a vehicle. Typical prior art ski racks consist of at least two units spaced longitudinally of the vehicle. Each of the two units is customarily provided with a lower stationary clamping surface which extends transversely of the vehicle and a pair of pivotally mounted upper bars pivotally secured to the lower portion of the unit near the longitudinal center line of the vehicle. The upper bars, when pivoted upwardly from the longitudinal center line of the vehicle, allow the skis and poles to be placed on top of the lower bar for securing the skis and poles to the vehicle or to be removed from the units. In the clamping positions, the upper bars are parallel with the lower bars and the free ends of the upper bars are rigidly affixed to the extreme ends of the lower bars near the sides of the vehicle to clamp the skis and poles therebetween. As previously noted, two such units are required and are typically spaced two or three feet apart in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
There has recently been developed a portable hand-held device for carrying and securing skis which has come into widespread use and which is the subject of applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,655 dated Nov. 9, 1976. The carrying device disclosed in that patent enables the user to transport skis and poles with one hand and is thus very convenient to use.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle top ski carrier which can be particularly useful with a device for carrying and securing skis of the type disclosed in applicant's aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,655.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a vehicle top ski carrier in the form of a single unit which can be affixed to the vehicle top and which will rigidly and firmly clamp and lock the skis in position on the vehicle.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a vehicle top ski carrier which is suitable for carrying a plurality of pairs of skis and poles regardless of whether the portable device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,655 is employed.